Community activists protest proposal to relocate TPD headquarters, city offices to East Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. - The city of Tampa wants to move its offices and police headquarters out of downtown now that its building leases are coming up.

City officials are eyeing an 11-acre lot on Hanna Avenue to build a proposed city center, but some community activists are pushing back against relocating those services to East Tampa.

On Saturday, a group of community activists held signs near the Robert L. Cole Community Lake protesting against both a new city center and a new Tampa police headquarters.

"We’re still under the presumption that that’s happening and if that’s the case we want to actively stand against more police being introduced into East Tampa," said Elizabeth Kramer, a member of the Tampa Bay Community Action Committee.

The Tampa City Council first saw Mayor Jane Castor’s idea of moving city offices and relocating TPD headquarters back on March 4 for about $100 million, but several council members voiced concerns about the limited knowledge they had of the project and the short time they had to decide on the project.

So, the city council delayed any vote to March 18 and approved a resolution to spend $6.2 million to demolish the lot at 2515 East Hanna Avenue and create design plans for only the city center there. The council tabled the police headquarters location for another time.

READ After 31 years on the force, Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan will retire

City leases are coming up, so the administration wants to move code enforcement, minority business development, workforce development and more into a city center. There are also talks of a culinary school, green space and café.

"A lot of our elderly, seniors live up in that area which is a nice area in itself, and they want to make sure that hey that city center looks a part of the community," said Orlando Gudes, Tampa City Councilman for District 5. "A lot of them have been talking about they want a cafeteria in there because a lot of our seniors don’t cook anymore. They want to be able to go there to get a sandwich for lunch or something like that and that’s what they’re asking. That’s what they’ve been telling me since the project’s been talked about."

READ Tampa Citizens Review Board holds meeting amid political fight

Gudes represents East Tampa and shared the feedback he’s received from people impacted.

"That community is not up in arms about the center. They’re embracing it. There are a few challenges that they want the administration to look in as it relates to mobility over there," he explained.

Gudes said a presentation to the city council with the anticipated cost for building the city center is coming before the end of the year, and public comment is expected on the proposed project before the council votes on whether to move forward with building, but some activists say the city has bigger concerns.

"There’s like a million different ways that the city could be better using that money to help the community for things that we actually need like money for schools, affordable housing, etc., transportation," stated Matthew Wheat, a TBCAC protester.

UPDATES: Get news alerts and updates in the free FOX 13 News app